Troughing idler for conveyer belts



Filed July 9, 1930 2 sheets-Sheet Nav. 24, 19 1., s. D. ROIBINS I 1,833,179

TROUGHING IDLER FOR CONVEYER BELTS Filed July 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 7 Patented Ne f. 24, 1931;:

min V EQBIN'SQD W QDM EJ S Q ,ii iki s imihlmlmm s7 .v- L MB ML 0 mssem enome orfi-rriiiwmemem3 m eyssws A lica io ed-July 1930. :s'e'r igl Np; @5674;

This inventibn i' eltts to 'treug hing idlei s' 0r'con-veyer;belts.' 1I' 1 The principalob] eCthfth'e 'invention is to provide a si m 1e andleflicient construction embodyinga p urality of {pulleys which are so assembled and mounted-that they auto matically assume 'a, ;tr0ughing p0siti0n; and are eflective toimpart a uniform' transverse curvature to the upper run of a conveyer belt supported thereon, irrespective of thedireca tin oftravel oftheb'elt,

Another object 0f the invention is 51 pro;

Vide such a constructionwherein the end pulleys are mounted on-beam supportsend the d coi'd having a protective cover-0f rubber.-

intermediate pulleys on a flexible-suspension medium, axiallyconnectedtc the end pulleys,

whereb alargeproportien bf the belt loedi is carried on the said supports and a, relatively I ing a cantilever supp sE foe thee-intention? being defindin ,t hej I I appended-sclaims.

3,- respe small load by-the' flexible suspension medium, i i I thus permitting the-useofzi un itary suspen' s10n medium, such,- fonexample, as a -core of closely assembled rubbe 'ftreated st1 ands "of Another; object oftheinvention-is-to pro vide such aconstruction wherein} seli-aligni ing roller bearings for the end pulleys may be em loyed, thus enablingpert of the loed on each end'pulley to be c'arried inthi'ust and; the other bearing; v

Another object of the invention is toprg ide a no vel arrangement of housingsfer the bearings of the end'pu1leys,;2tndn1eans where by e'lubricant for the hearings can-'beeadilY' supplied 'to the housings; V Y r vide simple and efficient sealing lneans fcif the :said housings.

Another object Qf the' inventitnis top'i'evide a, simple and inexpensive, yet :rigid and substantial, idler. stand, in WhichIthe pulleys.

and their mountings are; supported, .which stand is so constructed that spillage. from the latter and escapes below thes tzind. 1

- -With these and Other objects in viewthef invention ,cbmprisesu featuiesl of :fnowelty which, aipreferrediembodiment ms the in belts into the end flllllQlYS -,=pesses.th1 eughthe ventien', will be hereinafter. descnibed; the

inthepre e part in radial load on the zidjecent wardlyjenddownwandlyi -sh b wel lxer-etherwis y Anotheinob'ectofthe intention ro- 1' V terposedbetweenithegupperrppntigns be t Qnveyer-appanatus-i 1, Z r

ti, eaehaei heibrec ec cemprises :a paired -Limembe s e trang dvin- I spaced parallel relttion, and a. substantial L1 ase-- 13 toiwhieh the members eneweld F xed On. the prin iple 9i tanti eice sbn u-pperends fitheyrespective-Mathis 119 PHll YSE PPQI ng tructur Wh nd 'lbrig u na lypf t upper edge: ofifth beam, it achjsb mz 1 o m det it With mi en r ed tp t r ntlflr h W e b e 'memhen' end iss r. if" 1 y msl ce y upper n 1 the 1 we fih0le 2Q1 n po fi eme d .121 .l B df, l fh ortion, thus facilitating thevjfildunting iami' removal of the supporting-i structure, and, its 'adjunets', when-the bolt hut 176 slackened 7 Theinnerend ef eaehtithesha ft ple ei 3 tendsii'hey'ond the adj agent end of t e h'sso a evilt en efjanu. lee

iated' bealri l i end cflflies a msn stsm- 16 and issupported throughout its 'lengthby ra inclined .end pulley 2 l.,;/whi ch bearing is positioned withinjithe pulley, preferablybetween-the middle; and the'w inner end of the pulleyf'as shown.

p f 'The bearlng herein illustrated is of the self- 7 aligning rollertype, comprising two complementary'race on-ann'ular flange members 22,

r 23 with interposedrollers24. The racemema 2 2.22. isfastmitk, S aft '1 a t m m 1 231s fast onjthe-jinner'peripheral wall of a] dial webs 27 which preferably extend from v end tojendio ffthe pu'lley,"1the portions; of the webs between the hub and the outerzend of the pulley being inclined; as sh'own, .to afford jacent stationary beam '14. v

The 5 housing -const1tutes a lubricant suifiient clearance between 'the'm and; the ad;

chamber for the "bearing', which chamber may besupplied with lubricant introduced in'the 7 Plug 28'or other closure'jfi v r -"The outer endof th housing is equipped with a seal to prevent the escape-of the'lubris cant and also to-exclude dust, -etc., therefrom.

; u lathe-presentiinstaneetthis seal'includesiai associated hol low shaft 15 -atf the outer endof the latter, -such}: end having a suitable screwring'29- which is firmly bolted to'the housing, concentric 'with the shaft, and is provided with a centrally disposed annularly-reces'sed spheroidal 'flangej30' into"the recess :31 of which .rotativ'elyfextend's' an annular' gasket 32'fa'st on-the-{shafti A; cap member, 33 also fast on the shaft overlaps "the oliter face of the? flange, 5 thus'f'alfording, {in conjunction withthe flange and the I gasket, an efficient labyrinth seal." 5 7 r V. Axiall-y secured to and rotatable with the hubsoffthetwg inclined end pulleys 21 are the respective ends o'f*a unitary suspension shaft which" is fflexible Eat all portions. throughout its length and carries a series of 1intermediateshort-face pulleys 34in suchmamier' that the shafta nd its pulleys natu f rall yassume a position appro'xlmatinga cat- 7 ,1 ll' t-"n' f th h ft .b

emu-y curve as a 0 e s a ate pulleys on the flexibleisuspension shaft I tween {pulleys are flexibler" Hence the asa j sembled pul1eys 2'1, 34 automatically "adapt themselves to'a belt-aligning. troughing posimien irrespective of the: direction of travel of'the c om eyer'1belt, to fwhi'ch condition the endfpulleys materially contribute by virtue Of'tll'b bearing construction described.

'Preferablylthe flexible suspension shaft is composed; of 1 longitudinally fassembled s ra -awar 3. r ate ha th s of rubber iand rolled-1 .into .a .compact core, which -core is given an outside protective coating 36 of-rubber isthen-vulcanized in a su abl z o d; .;T e 5r b.er t c t in'gatem minates inwardly oftherends of-"thepcore,1and

,rection of travel of the belt.

metal protective ferrules 37 are affixed to the I uncoated portions of the core.

A. simple and efiicient manner trated. As shown thecentral ,web38 of ends of'the-latter' are entered in thebores43- 'ofthe" respective :pulley hubs 26 and are therein fixedly heldin place :by means,ifor

, of securing the pulleys 34 to the flexible shaft is illusexample, of suitably-disposediscrewsgj le whichiengage,theopposed 'ferrules,37.- f

From. the foregoing-1t will beseen that the unitary flexibleshaftzcarrying the intermedi ate juxtaposedpulleys-is suspended fromthe inner ends of-endfpulleys' which; havef'their bearings'supported at the inner ends of beamsreaching well :into the end. pulleys, and,

that, therefore, a large proportion ofthe belt load is'ca'rried on the beams and a relatively v small load by the flexible shaft. It will also r beseenithat the described bearingconstrue-f tion'enables'the use ofa flexible shaftof rub} ber;protected fibrous;materiahfinsteadoffexpensive articulated. jmetal members, J which latter not; only zi'nvol've considerableimac'hine work in their construction andafassembly,

but are also subject to,det'eriorationadueqto rust and-Irapid weanwhen in. actual service.

It will also-be seen that the saidbeam' con} roller bearings for thejend pulleys, withthe 'struction' enables the. use of selfaligning is carried in thrust'and the-other part in radial load on the associatedbearing; 'Hence r all :the rollerslof each bearingi arebrought into, acti0n, th us enabling the use of a smaller "bearing than wouldbe the case if all the load s were :put on" the bearing, either initheg-form of thrust or radial load It w l a so be, s en-t at t bed axi mounting of a seriesiof short-face inter-medi enables the pulleysllto adapt themselves f to the curvature. of the flexibleshaft and thus,

present a uniform' bearing surface to. "the;

troughed conveyer belt irrespectiveofthe dii Moreover, it willibe seen thatv my invehtion provides an open or skeleton idlerstand'ofi V rigid and substantial construction through which material, :such as sand or gravel," that may be spilled 'fr'o'm =th be1tinto the upper ends ofthe end pulleys, willpass freely down,

through-the 'pulleys fandthence below the 7 age acumulatio'ns within the stand.

V ture may be modified within the principle of r 1, 3 ,129 go ment thereof herein disclosed, as the structhe invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claima 1. A belt-troughingidler structure, having spaced brackets, fixed supports 'for suspension pulleybearings extending inwardly from the brackets, end pulleys encircling said supports and mounted on said bearings and suspended from the' bearings, 31 single flexible suspension medium having its ends secured to the respective end pulleys inward- 1y of the bearings and co-axial With said pill-- leys, and intermediate-pulleys fix dl carried bysaid suspension medium; 1 I

2. A belt-troughing idler structure having spaced brackets, supports extending inwardly from the brackets, end pulley'encircling said supports, self-aligning roller bearings between said pulleys and the inner portions of the said supports, a flexible suspension medium having its ends secured to the respective end pulleys inwardly, of thebearings and co-axial with said pulleys, and intermediate'pulleys carried by said suspension medium. L w

3. A belt-troughing idler structure having spaced brackets, support-s extending inwardly from the brackets, each of said supports comprising a beam affixed to the adjacent bracket, and a shaft extending longitudinally of and fixedly carried by the beam, end pulleys encircling said supports and rotatably suspended IEIOHl lihG inner ends of the respective shafts, a single flexible suspension medium having its ends securedto the re-' spective end pulleys, and intermediate pulleys fixedly carried by said suspension medium.

4. A belt-troughing idler structure having" spaced brackets, supports extending inwardly from the brackets, each of said supports comprising a beam affixed to the adjacent bracket, and a shaft extending longitudinally of and carried by thebeam, end pulleys encircling said supports, self-aligning roller bearings between said pulleys and the inner ends of the respective-shafts, a flexible suspension medium having its ends secured .to'

the respective end pulleys, and intermediate pulleys carried by said suspension medium.

5. A belt-troughingidler structure'having spaced brackets, supports for pulleybearings extending inwardly from the brackets, end pulleys encircling said supports and mounted to rotate on said bearings, a flexible suspension-medium comprising longitudinallyassembled strands offlbrous material and a protective coating of rubber, said strands secured at theirends to the respective end pulleys, and intermediate pulleys carried by said suspension medium. e

6. A belt-troughing idler structure having rmd. brack s, s ppb t lfq ipu y be n sex d i wrdly; 1 h rak s, en pulleys encircling said supports and; mound radon-said"bearings,"a flexible suspension me: dium comprising "longitudinally assembled strands-of fibrous material and a protective coating: of'rubber, said medium secured a t itsen'ds to the respectivelend pulleys, i'r ter mediate pulleys, andmeans for securingfljeach of the latter pulleys to the suspension rrre dium, said-means including" a central rubber, I

bushing on the ulley, and a clamping mem-i ber'for :said bushing:

p 7: A belt-troughing idler structure having spaced brackets, pulley supports extending inwardly} from the: brackets, end pulleys encircling said supports,"bearings between saidpulleysandthe inner ends of therespective supports, said pulleys having-centrally bored portions betweenisaid bearings'and the inner ends of the respective pulleys, a single flexible suspension medium between the inner ends of the pulleys, said ,medium' h'avingfits ends extendedintoand secured'tothjerespecg 4 tive centrally bored'portions ofthe said p111:

leys, aridin ermediate pulleysiflxedlycarr-ied 'bysaid suspension medium 8; A"belttroughingidlenstructurehavingan up-standing bracket' comprisinga-pair of standards arranged in spacedrelation; a

cantilever beam having 1 itsqsupported j end fixedly mounted in and between said'standa ards,a shaft fixed on said beam, andj a pal-.4

ley encircling said beam and shaft androtat-g ably suspendedifrom the innersnq; ofthe v shaft.

1 f9, A' belt-troughingidler structure having I I a pair of inwardly and downwardly inclined end pulleys bearing supports for said pul leys,- a .unitary flexible suspensiom medium 7 axially secured to the inner ends of the re- 7 spectiveend pulleys,and intermediate-pub v J leys fast onsaid suspensi'on'mediurnli [10$ Abelt t roughing' idler structure j ing ia pair of inwardly and downwardly inc1i;i1ed end pulleys, bearing supports, fork'said pulleys, a unitary flexible suspension medium" of rubber, and intermediate said suspens'ionmedium'l axially sewed t fihf l r erids orga V spective endpulleys, saidfmediumfcompris;'1 I ing longitudinally assembled strands ot. Y brousjmaterial havingfaiprotect'ivecoating- M p pulleys-fast on ,1 I

pulleys, a unitary flexible suspension medium I secured to the inner ends ofthe respective end- 1 i pulleys, said medium comprising a rolled 'core. ,i1-.2 I

of rubber-treated longitudinally-assembled leys fast on saidsuspension' medium.

, 'i120 a A ing a pair 'o' finwardly and downwardly 'in- 1 clined end pulleys, bearing supports for said 12; belt-troughingidler structure havof juxtaposed' pulleys thereon; each having a 1 v /f saare cantileverbea1n a'shaft supported and longitudinally of said beam,panda pul ley havingia housing encirclingsaid shaft o erand having a 'suspension b'earing housing formed of an annular flangejatthe v sinner end'o'f thes11aft,;andanannular'fianger 1- in the housingbetween theouter'end oflthe housingi andothe flange' on the endof the AIbelbtroughingidler structure h'avring flexible suspensionmedium and agplu 'rality ;of juxtaposed pulleysfast'thereomfsaid i H V 7 suspension medium comprising a rol1 ofl on- A a gitudinal'ly assembled strands of;fibrous: mla- 5 terial andaprote ctiVe coatingof rubbers; 2;?-

v 1 b elt-troug hing idler str-uctiirexhav- 7 ing end pulleys,'a fiexible suspension medium Y fixed-lyco inectediatone end to eachof said end pulleys, Ta plurality of juxtaposed pul leys thereon between the endpulleys, and

v meansorsecuringeachof the intermediate pulleys to the suspension medium. 7

" 15. A belttrough'ng dler structurehay: v

ing a flexible suspension medium, a. plurality centrally'disposed bushing seat intermediate. n

"i'ng two upstanding. supporting brackets,

its ends, a rubber bushing encircling the I shaft and bearing against thesaid-seat, and'a V each comprising a pair of standards arranged in spaced ,relation', laterally-disposed out- K wardly-bowed tie bars rigidly connecting said Vstandards;cantilever-beams extending in Wardly from and having their outer ends mountedrin and between said standards, I i shaftsifixed onthe respective beams, andpul- ,7 1

leys encircling said beams and shafts and rotatablyr mounted on the inner ends of the respective shafts; i i

17 A belt trou'ghing idler structuredhayringa pair of inwardly and downwardly in;

'clined end pulleys; bearing supports for .s'ai-d ulle s aunitar sus ension member flexible I v 7 77 7 v V i means;

of JuneA. 111930.- Q r v "SAMUEL- DAVIS 'ROBINSB mes fat all portions and axially secured to the inv V ner ends ot-the respective end pulleys,v and e intermediatexpulleys fast 'on said suspension i 

